Marlin .32 H&R converted to .327 Federal?

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

  Not wanting to horn in on the Henry thread, but I saw mentioned (thanks, Ace) that Henry had a .327 Fed chambering. 

If a model 94 in ,32 H&R was rechambered, would it still shot the .32 H&R's? 

Widder, have you played with this option?  Seems the action should be strong enough.

Chamber pressures are listed from Wikkipedia as .32 H&R as 21,000 and .327 Fed as 45,000 cup.

 

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Howdy Bad.

 

Personally, I have 'mentally' ran that modification option thru my mind and I started

getting negative thoughts.

 

1.  I can't comment, with any first hand knowledge, about the pressure capabilities but when 

considering this mod, we must remember that the Marlin 94 in .32 H&R mag was formed

using the .22 magnum frame.   Thats one of the reasons, if not the main reason, it doesn't

have a loading gate.

 

2.  In its present setup, I don't think the timing would work.   It would be 'too fast' for the longer

.327 Federal mag.

When you hear of a Marlin getting the 'Marlin Jam', its because the timing is slow and allows

the rim of each successive round to sneak out of the portal and jam on the rising carrier.

The opposite happens when the timing is too fast for a 'longer OAL'  cartridge and

in such cases, the bullet section of the cartridge wouldn't have time to clear the portal

before the front of the carrier rose up and pinched it.   The results would be that your

lever wouldn't fully open and allow you to function the action completely.

NOW, if that were the only problem, the timing could be fixed correctly by most gunsmiths who

understand the Marlin timing.

 

3.  The Marlin 94 in .32 H&R is short stroked from the factory.  I'm not sure that the setup inside

the action would allow longer stuff.

Going on faint memory, I think the carrier has sufficient room for the longer stuff, although I've

never checked out the .327 on the .32 carrier.

BUT, I ain't sure the Ejector would allow it.  It may have to be moved back for a couple reasons:

 

A - With the Ejector in its present position, It would allow room to eject EMPTY brass,

but it may not allow enough room inside the receiver to eject loaded ammo.

 

B - In its present position inside the receiver, the Ejector would most likely interfere with EVERY

.327 round coming up on the carrier before it can be pushed into the chamber.  I haven't

actually checked these OAL concerns, but I can imagine this would be a problem.

AND, when you move the Ejector back, you are delaying the ejection timing of empty brass

at the same time you are trying to feed another round up on the carrier.   This can be

problematic and unless a real good Marlin mechanic knows their stuff,  it probably wouldn't

be worth the effort.

 

4. Your short stroke benefit would also probably have to be modified into a standard stroke.

 

And as you have already stated, the chamber would have to be increased (lengthened).

 

One more thing:  In order to load 10 rounds of the longer .327 ammo, the mag tube would need

some work.  And unless you want to cut another loading port into the outer mag tube, loading

10 rounds would require total removal of the mag tube in order to drop 10 rounds into it.

The loading port, in its present position, would probably only allow you enough room to drop

8 or 9 rounds in it.

 

There may be other issues I can think of, but for now, these are the things that quickly come to

my mind.

 

Good luck if you decide to try this mod.    You may be able to find more information on this

modification (both pro and con) on the MarlinOwners website.

I haven't been on that website in a couple years.

 

..........Widder

 

[Warden Callaway]

Looks like ... Take a 1894 in 32-20 or 25-20 and reline the bore and cut a 327 Federal Magnum chamber.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

4 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Looks like ... Take a 1894 in 32-20 or 25-20 and reline the bore and cut a 32 Federal Magnum chamber.

 

Warden,

That should have been one of my options but at about 1:00 a.m., my brain got locked into the 

.32 H&R mechanical functions that I didn't even think about the .32-20 option.

 

I'm glad you posted that because that would probably be a more direct and much better option.

 

..........Widder

 

[Warden Callaway]

19 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Warden,

That should have been one of my options but at about 1:00 a.m., my brain got locked into the 

.32  H&R mechanical functions that I didn't even think about the .32-20 option.

 

I'm glad you posted that because that would probably be a more direct and much better option.

 

..........Widder

 

 

Then,  you got to ask, if you have a 32-20, why bother to convert to 327 Federal Magnum? Ballisticly,  the two could be substantially equal.  The 32-20 should feed better in a lever action.   The only possible advantage would be loading a straight side case vs slight bottleneck.  Case life could be longer with the 327 FM.

[LostVaquero]

I do not see why 327 for CAS over 32 or 32-20. All we are doing is making dings.

If it isv for also hunting seems betterm to me and probably a lot less expensive to just get a Big Boy already in 327.

They may not run supersonic for CAS but hunting even a fairly quick follow up it would be fine.

Justvmy way ofbthinking

[Widder, SASS #59054]

3 hours ago, LostVaquero said:

I do not see why 327 for CAS over 32 or 32-20. All we are doing is making dings.

If it isv for also hunting seems betterm to me and probably a lot less expensive to just get a Big Boy already in 327.

They may not run supersonic for CAS but hunting even a fairly quick follow up it would be fine.

Justvmy way ofbthinking

 

Bad Bascomb didn't say anything about SASS or Cowboy shooting.   He just ask about the conversion

possibilities and I replied as best I know how.

 

Many of us, including myself, use our lever guns for other things beyond SASS and Cowboy shooting.

I have a nice 1894 in .45 Colt that is set up for Hogzilla, Deer or the occasional Jurassic Groundhog... 

 

..........Widder

 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

Jurassic Groundhoges Lives Matter!

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

OK then, what about a Ruger Single Six?  Enough room.  The RV should have enough length to make a 327 FM

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

  Thanks for the knowledgeable and reasoned replies.  The attraction to the mod was to have the potential for versatility BEYOND CAS use.  I would use the .32's for competition and the .327 for other uses.

Was unaware of the .22 origins of the receiver; thanks, Mike, for the education there.  That explains the loading mechanism configuration.  If I had a .32-20 I wouldn't be interested in making it into a .327.....  I'd just be shopping for a matching revolver....

 

Thanks for the useful comments.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Your welcome.   Glad to help anytime.

 

Hope you and all the other Wire Pards have a blessed Thanksgiving weekend.

 

..........Widder

[Warden Callaway]

10 hours ago, Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494 said:

  Thanks for the knowledgeable and reasoned replies.  The attraction to the mod was to have the potential for versatility BEYOND CAS use.  I would use the .32's for competition and the .327 for other uses.

Was unaware of the .22 origins of the receiver; thanks, Mike, for the education there.  That explains the loading mechanism configuration.  If I had a .32-20 I wouldn't be interested in making it into a .327.....  I'd just be shopping for a matching revolver....

 

Thanks for the useful comments.

 

That sounds like a plan!  There are a lot of older Marlins and Winchesters in 32-20 out there.  I have two Marlin 1894s and a Winchester 92 in 32-20.  

 

 

Here is a Marlin saddle ring carbine in 32-20 made in 1900.

 

 

This old Winchester 92 is pretty rough looking on the outside but the bore had been recut from 25-20 to 32-20.